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Following on from this year’s successful Cross-Examination Workshop, the New Barristers’ Committee will be running a cross-examination of experts seminar on 8 November 2016. This workshop is an excellent opportunity to learn the art of cross-examination of expert witnesses. Expert witnesses will be cross-examined by two senior counsel before Justice Stevenson at the Supreme Court. A question and answer session will follow thereafter. This workshop is open to all members of the Bar, but is particularly recommended for junior members of the Bar. Registration is required. Please email Tiffany McDonald (tmcdonald@nswbar.asn.au) by 1 November 2016, if you wish to attend.

The workshop will commence at 5.15pm in the Supreme Court, Law Courts Building, Queens Square.

In this presentation you will learn about what vicarious trauma is; how it arises from a neuroscience perspective; signs that you may be suffering from it; steps you can take to minimise its impact, including practical steps to avoid or minimise the trauma to you of difficult or distressing material; how to notice signs that a colleague may be affected, what to do and how to intervene helpfully and effectively. The seminar will be chaired by Peter McGrath SC, Health and Wellbeing Committee. For full details please download a flyer here. The seminar will be held at 5.15pm in the NSW Bar Association Common Room

On Wednesday, 26 October 2016 Chrissa Loukas SC will present a practical advocacy seminar on appeals to the Court of Criminal Appeal. The seminar, to be co-chaired by the Hon Justice Fullerton and Stephen Odgers SC, incorporates both severity and conviction appeals. The emphasis will be on the essentials of written submissions and oral advocacy. This seminar has been organised by the New Barristers Committee. Learn more here

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) is soon launching a new External Junior Counsel Panel and invites barristers to apply to be appointed to the Panel for up to four years: 2016-2020.

The Panel is designed to formalise our arrangements with suitably qualified barristers eligible to be briefed in federal criminal matters on behalf of the prosecution.

This new Panel approach will allow the CDPP to boost the number of junior counsel briefed, improve gender equity in our briefing practices and create a quick and easy application process for members seeking to be briefed by us. Further, by having a Panel which is reviewed every four years, the CDPP can ensure that the advocates it briefs have up-to-date and relevant experience to undertake prosecution work for the CDPP.

There is no cap on the number of barristers included on the panel and both new barristers and those currently briefed by the CDPP will need to apply.

A factsheet which provides greater detail about the Panel is attached.

Applications will open on 27 October 2016 and close on 13 November 2016, and must be submitted via the CDPP website

Ballot papers for the election of the 2017 Bar Council have been mailed to all those eligible to vote.

Return of ballot paper
The envelope containing the ballot paper must bear the name of the member casting the vote to be valid. Envelopes that do not bear the name of the member casting the vote cannot be counted. Please note that failure to return your ballot paper in an envelope on which your name is legibly printed will invalidate your vote.

How many candidates may you vote for?
A change in the Association’s Constitution means there is no longer a requirement to vote for a minimum number of senior counsel. Members may vote for up to 21 candidates in any category.The ‘How to Vote’ instruction booklet that was issued with each ballot paper contains detailed information about how a valid vote is cast. Members should take care to complete the ballot paper in accordance with the instructions provided. If any member has a query concerning the completion of the ballot paper they should contact the Bar Association for assistance.

Poll deadline
Ballot papers received after 1.00pm on Thursday, 3 November 2016 will not be counted.

Replacement of ballot papers
Any member who loses or spoils his or her ballot paper may obtain and complete a replacement ballot paper before the close of poll. In all such cases, immediate contact should be made with the Certification Officer, Mr Barrie Anthony on ph. 9232 4055 or e-mail banthony@nswbar.asn.au.

Nervous about your Performance in Court? Voice & Performance Skills Workshops with Lucy Cornell and Christina Koch will be held on 8 and 15 November at 5.00pm in the Bar Association Common Room. The workshops are open to any practising barrister. The cost is $600 + GST per person.

The Australian Association of Constitutional Law, together with the Gilbert + Tobin Centre for Public Law, invite members to attend an event marking the centenary of the Commonwealth solicitor-general on Monday, 24 October 2016 at 6.00pm – 7.30pm in the Banco Court, Level 13, Queens Square. Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE QC will provide opening remarks, and will be followed by a panel discussion with the Hon Robert Ellicott QC, Dr Gavan Griffith AO QC, Dr David Bennett AC QC and the Hon Justice Stephen Gageler. The event will be chaired by Associate Professor Gabrielle Appleby. Learn more here.

In conjunction with the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law. Registration is free but essential. Click here.

The Legal Aid NSW Care and Protection Panel (the panel) is open for new applications and applications for reappointment by current panel members. Current panel members due for reappointment must apply for reappointment to the panel if they wish to continue to undertake legally aided care and protection matters. Panel members who are due to reapply, will be directly notified by email.

Current panel members who are unsure whether they are required to apply for reappointment can contact Professional Practices on (02) 9219 5662 or at panels@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.

New applications and applications for reappointment must be submitted through the Panels Application website by Sunday, 4 December 2016 for consideration by the Selection Committee. Applications received after this date will not be considered until the next Selection Committee meeting to be scheduled sometime in 2018.

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) has released new research which finds that Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders (ADVOs) are more effective than they are often portrayed by elements of the media. Learn more here.

The President of the Australian Bar Association, Patrick O’Sullivan QC, has today confirmed the ABA’s commitment to promoting excellence, diversity and inclusion at the Bar by adopting the Law Council of Australia’s Equitable Briefing Policy. View the ABA media release

Members are invited to the 2016 Yarramundi Lecture, which will discuss the topic ‘Is a treaty the best way to ensure the rights of First Peoples?’.

The annual Yarramundi Lecture was established in recognition of the Darug people and has become central to Western Sydney University’s longstanding commitment to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It provides students, staff and the community with an opportunity to attend a forum discussing issues of local and national significance.

This year’s lecture will be held on Monday 24 October at the Ian and Nancy Turbott Auditorium (Building EE) on the University's Parramatta South campus from 6pm.

The discussion will be led by a panel of high-profile participants including Warren Mundine AO, Chairman of the Indigenous Advisory Council; Jeff McMullen AM, journalist, author and filmmaker; Shireen Morris, Senior Policy Adviser and Constitutional Reform Research Fellow at Cape York Institute; and Dr Alexis Wright, Distinguished Research Fellow with the University’s Writing and Society Research Centre.

Following last week’s Panel CPD on this topic, the wording of the policy in relation to barristers has been amended so that the role and commitment of barristers who adopt the policy is now expressed in terms of making “all reasonable endeavours to ensure that all recommendations they make of other barristers include at least one woman, unless there is no qualified woman”.

The members of the Panel (Steven Finch SC, John Sheahan QC, Andrew Bell SC, Liz Cheeseman SC) will now adopt the Policy and encourage members to consider doing so.

The Policy is available on the Law Council of Australia website
Sign up to the Policy here

The Toongabbie Legal Centre will hold its 9th Annual Community Fundraising Dinner on Saturday, 22 October 2016 at 6.00pm for 6.30pm in Bowman Hall, Campbell Street, Blacktown. The chief guest will be Gary Ulman, president of the Law Society, with the Hon Justice M J Beazley AO present as well. Learn more here.

A vacancy exists at William Owen Chambers in Orange. Please contact Bill Walsh on 0429 124 174.
This is an opportunity to practise at the Regional Bar and enjoy the benefits of living in a thriving regional area.

The Bar Choir will hold a Christmas Concert at St James Church on Friday, 2 December 2016 at 5.15pm to raise funds for the Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation. The concert will last for roughly one hour. Donations from attendees will be gratefully received.

Raffle tickets for the 2016 Pink & Blue Ribbon Breakfast are now available for purchase at the Bar Association Reception(1 ticket $5; 3 tickets $10; 7 tickets $20; a book of (20) tickets $50). There are fabulous prizes to be won!

The Pink & Blue Ribbon Breakfast will be held on Friday, 28 October at 7.45am in Verandah Restaurant. Come and enjoy a two-course breakfast and help raise money for two wonderful charities. Click here for all the event details including updated details on the amazing raffle organised by the Diversity and Equality Committee. RSVP for the breakfast today. RSVPs will be accepted until Friday, 21 October unless sold out prior.

If you are unable to attend the breakfast, you may still make a donation to these worthy causes via the registration process. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Tax receipts will be issued by the charities following the events. To donate, please click here.

Supporting charities

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is the leading community-funded national organisation in Australia raising money for research into prevention and cure of breast cancer. Research programs funded by the NBCF cover every aspect of breast cancer, from increasing understanding of genetics to providing better treatments and improving ways to support women and their families. The NBCF relies almost entirely on corporate and community support to continue its work.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is the peak national body for prostate cancer in Australia. The PCFA focuses on funding innovative research, support, information and advocacy for men with prostate cancer and raising awareness across the community. PCFA operates over 100 supports groups Australia wide who provide support and advocacy, via the phone or face to face to men and their families affected by prostate cancer. These groups meet regularly and provide a meeting forum for the exchange of experiences, ideas and news as well as an invaluable support network.

If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Katie or Hannah on ph: (02) 9232 4055. We look forward to seeing you there.

The Holt Prize, named after the late Christopher Holt, co-founder of The Federation Press, is awarded biennially to first-time authors of an unpublished legal work of an academic or practical nature. The winner receives a $12,000 cash prize and a publishing contract with The Federation Press. The Federation Press invites submissions for the 2017 Prize. The deadline is 31 March 2017. Learn more here.

Bar Council met on 21 July, 28 July and 11 August 2016 in the boardroom of the New South Wales Bar Association. Matters reported elsewhere in In Brief are omitted from this summary of Bar Council business. Bar Council regularly considers requests by the attorney general, the courts and other agencies for advice on proposed legislation. Because that advice is sought on a confidential basis, it is not noted here. Any member interested in a particular matter should contact the executive director. View the minutes for 21 July, 28 July and 11 August 2016.

Nominations for the 2017 Bar Council closed at 4.00pm on Monday, 10 October. Eighteen senior counsel and 35 members of the Junior Bar (including 16 under 5s) have nominated. A list of the nominated candidates is now available on the Bar Association website. Each candidate’s entry includes a link to their Find A Barrister page. Voting forms were dispatched to eligible members (Ordinary members Class A and life members) on Friday, 14 October. Pursuant to clause 11.6.2 of the Constitution of the New South Wales Bar Association, members may vote for up to 21 candidates. Voting closes at 1.00 pm on Thursday, 3 November 2016.

Members and their friends are invited to the 2016 Pink & Blue Ribbon Breakfast on Friday, 28 October at 7.45am in Verandah Restaurant. Come and enjoy a two-course breakfast and help raise money for two wonderful charities. There will also be a fabulous raffle drawn on the morning with amazing prizes to be won!

Raffle tickets will also be available to pre-purchase from 17 October at the Bar Association Reception(1 ticket $5; 3 tickets $10; 7 tickets $20; 20 tickets $50). RSVP for the breakfast today, RSVPs will be accepted until Friday, 21 October unless sold out prior.

Click here for all the event details including updated details on the amazing raffle organised by the Diversity and Equality Committee.

If you are unable to attend the breakfast, you may still make a donation to these worthy causes via the registration process. All donations over $2 are tax deductible. Tax receipts will be issued by the charities following the events. To donate, please click here.

Supporting charities

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is the leading community-funded national organisation in Australia raising money for research into prevention and cure of breast cancer. Research programs funded by the NBCF cover every aspect of breast cancer, from increasing understanding of genetics to providing better treatments and improving ways to support women and their families. The NBCF relies almost entirely on corporate and community support to continue its work.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is the peak national body for prostate cancer in Australia. The PCFA focuses on funding innovative research, support, information and advocacy for men with prostate cancer and raising awareness across the community. PCFA operates over 100 supports groups Australia wide who provide support and advocacy, via the phone or face to face to men and their families affected by prostate cancer. These groups meet regularly and provide a meeting forum for the exchange of experiences, ideas and news as well as an invaluable support network.

If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Katie or Hannah on ph: (02) 9232 4055. We look forward to seeing you there.

In this presentation you will learn about what vicarious trauma is; how it arises from a neuroscience perspective; signs that you may be suffering from it; steps you can take to minimise its impact, including practical steps to avoid or minimise the trauma to you of difficult or distressing material; how to notice signs that a colleague may be affected, what to do and how to intervene helpfully and effectively. The seminar will be chaired by Peter McGrath SC, Health and Wellbeing Committee. For full details please download a flyer here. The seminar will be held at 5.15pm in the NSW Bar Association Common Room

A study by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has found that the Rolling List Court (RLC), which was introduced in the District Court on a trial basis in April 2015, has resulted in a significant increase in guilty pleas. Learn more here.

The NSW Lawyers Orchestra invites you to join them for their concert of cinematic masterpieces, on 27 November 2016, 2:30pm at John Painter Hall 1-15 Foveaux St, Surry Hills NSW 2010. The full program is available here. Tickets are available here. The orchestra is still looking for more cellists to perform with them in the upcoming concert. If you are interested or can recommend a cello player, email Sarah Haddad (shaddad@fjc.net.au).

The Public Defenders will host an Information Session on the Child Sexual Offences Evidence Pilot for Defence Practitioners. The session will include a practical discussion about witness intermediaries and pre-recorded evidence. The Pilot is currently taking place in Sydney and Newcastle. All practitioners are welcome. The session will be presented by Craig Smith SC (Deputy Senior Public Defender), Sharyn Hall (Samuel Griffith Chambers), Angela Cook (Forbes Chambers), Helen Shaw and Sophie Williams (LAC NSW). Date: Wednesday 23 November 2016 from 5.00pm – 6.30pm at Public Defenders Chambers, 23/1 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. As numbers are limited please RSVP by 16 November 2016 to Kieran Darcy at kieran.darcy@justice.nsw.gov.au or tel: 9268 3196.